The project would not affect
any designated scenic street or highway (Los Gatos,
1997). No public scenic vistas from surrounding locations
are present (ESA, 1997). Therefore, no impact to scenic
vistas or scenic highways would occur.

Pursuant to the CEQA, public
views are eligible for protection and/or mitigation from
project effects that could have a demonstrable negative
aesthetic impact. The proposed substation structure and
equipment would have an ultimate height of approximately
45-50 feet. New metal transmission line poles would
replace older wooden poles (see Project Description). The
new poles would be approximately ten feet higher than
existing wooded poles, for a total anticipated height of
approximately 100 feet (Masuoka, 1997). The PEA provides
photo rendering of existing conditions and graphical
simulations of the proposed substation improvements from
public areas surrounding the project site (PG&E,
1997a). Views from Winchester Boulevard would not change
appreciably because the substation would be constructed
behind the existing fence and landscaping, which would be
retained, and most of the facilities would be screened.
The higher parts of the facilities would be visible. The
most prominent change to a public view would occur to
views from near the intersection of University and Lark
Avenues (looking north onto the site). Due to less dense
tree vegetation, substation equipment and transmission
poles are more visible and prominent than at other
locations. However, by replacing the wood pole
transmission towers with tubular steel, the project would
have a net beneficial visual impact to the project area
as the tubular steel towers have a more finished
appearance and would be visually more consistent with
other tubular steel towers on the Metcalf - Monta Vista
transmission line in the site vicinity. As requested by
the city, distribution lines in front of the site would
be undergrounded. The project site is currently
surrounded by an approximately 8-foot block wall and wood
board fence. Landscape plantings, including mature trees,
are located along the site's western border (along
Winchester Boulevard) which is the side with public
views. Other trees are also located adjacent to the
property line to the north, south, and east, from which
there are views of the site from private properties.

While screened from view by the public, the proposed
substation would be highly visible from adjacent private
properties. The proposed substation would be most visible
to workers in the Boccardo Corporation building's north
facing offices that look onto the site, particularly from
the upper story. Some offices in the Santa Clara County
Central Fire Protection District Administrative Office
building also would have unobstructed foreground views of
the facility. The facilities at the site would be
noticeable in the middleground views from some residences
west of Winchester Boulevard that down on the site. Views
of the facility from the Charter Oaks Circle condominium
development would largely be blocked by the noise wall
and trees along the site perimeter; views from the upper
story of the condominiums would be more direct. Perimeter
fencing, the two story office building (to the south),
and existing on and off-site trees would primarily block
public views of the substation structure and equipment.

While visible from adjacent private properties, the
project would not have a significant impact on public
views surrounding the project site. Although some parts
of the proposed facilities would be visible from public
streets, because of landscaping and the perimeter wall,
the change in public views from surrounding locations
would not drastically change from current conditions; the
site has existing utility infrastructure located on site,
including transmission lines and poles. In addition, the
existing 8-foot high fencing would effectively block
public views of most bulky substation equipment. While
views of the site from some private properties would be
altered, mitigation is not required under CEQA. Because
existing perimeter landscaping trees and walls would be
retained, additional mitigation is not required.
Therefore, the project would have a less than significant
impact related to negative aesthetic effects.

The proposed substation's
equipment would not have any large surface areas that
would create a significant amount of glare. The steel
structures in the transformer banks would create glare
that could be visible under certain lighting conditions
from adjacent private properties, as noted previously.
The effects would not likely have a significant effect on
use of the adjacent offices. The existing perimeter
landscaping trees would reduce the effect. The substation
would require security lighting which would be visible
from adjacent streets and properties, including
residences at Charter Oaks Condominiums. The lighting is
not expected to have an adverse effect on the adjacent
offices, but it may be a source of annoyance to some
residents of the condominiums, particularly because the
lighting would be most apparent from their upper story
windows, which are typically bedroom windows. The
existing vegetation would partly screen the lighting from
those condominiums, but some lighting would be visible.
As a result the project should incorporate the following
mitigation measures:

Mitigation

The following mitigation measures
would reduce this potential impact to a less-than-significant
level:

Mitigation Measure
XIII.c-1: All lighting on the site shall be angled
downward and directed away from adjacent residences in the
Charter Oaks Circle condominiums at all times.

Mitigation Measure
XIII.c-2: To the extent possible, all lighting fixtures
on the site should be positioned behind trees as viewed from
adjacent residences in the Charter Oaks Circle condominiums
or, if this is not possible, PG&E shall plant new
evergreen (non-deciduous broad-leaf or needle-leaf) trees to
screen site lighting from the residences.